May 2024, n°836
DANIEL PONTOREAU, SCULPTOR OF CLAY
Galerie Berthet-Aittouarès
Daniel Pontoreau, Pierre en suspens, 2020, terracotta, feldspath,
115 x 85 x 35 cm, courtesy Galerie Berthet-Aittouarès.
In Daniel Pontoreau's world, stones are kings. They respond to each other.
Star-studded or scarred stones, welcoming gangues like nests, steles, totems, high pedestals like road markers fallen from the sky, still breathing the clay tinged with the pinks, soft greys, savoury browns and oranges of the desert.
These new arrivals from unidentified planets often arrive covered in candy-white glazes. You can feel the heat, the preparation.
Pontoreau's imaginary geology is that of a great sculptor, as it conveys happiness, emotion in a soothing manner.
The imbalance is bold, but harmonious.
The shapes are sensual. The clay is like a mother.
The landscapes on the walls start at 3,000 €, while the large sculptures can go up to 40,000 €.
DANIEL PONTOREAU, from May 24th to June 29th, 2024
Galerie Berthet-Aittouarès, 14-29 rue de Seine, 75006 Paris.
Elisabeth Vedrenne